The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
Automobile drive train components such as transmission and differential cases are commonly coupled using fasteners. It is desirable to install all of the fasteners at the same time and using a common torque such that the fasteners apply an even-loading across the surface area of a gasket positioned between case portions. When multiple transmissions or differentials of the same design are assembled in repetitive sequences, the bolt pattern of each assembly is the same. Multiple torque application tools can therefore be combined into a common assembly or fixture such that all of the fasteners for a given case design can be installed and torqued at the same time. Such fixtures have a predetermined spacing and orientation for the torque application tools. Typically, the torque application tools cannot be moved in the fixture in more than a single direction due to the constraints of the fixture. It is highly labor intensive and therefore expensive to repurpose a fixture for installing fasteners of a different case design having a different bolt pattern.
Thus, while current torque application tool fixtures achieve their intended purpose, there is a need for a new and improved system and method for installing and torquing fasteners that can be easily adapted for use in two or more case designs each having a different bolt pattern.